Ethical Gifting Ideas

Updated: Apr 13

Ethical Gifting is a hot topic. Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the environmental and social issues that plague "traditional" gifts bought on the high street.

Ethical gifting sounds expensive, and difficult. But really it's just about meaningful and mindful gifting. Here are some tips and inspiration.

1) Gift an experience, event, lessons or tickets. Making memories and spending time together is the most valuable gift you can give. It also happens to be less wasteful. Gifting lessons in that "thing they've always wanted to do but never gotten around to", is a get kick up the bum too!

2) Find it second hand. You can pick up some serious treats in the Op Shop. Best if you've got a bit of time on your hands. Op Shops also don't JUST sell used items. Most sell ethical gifts, all sold for the sake of charity. Winner. Buying second hand online has the potential to drastically reduce your carbon footprint.

3) Quality over Quantity. Simply buy less. Limiting consumption is a HUGE way to reduce environmental footprint. But by buying less, you can invest more into a really thoughtful ethical gift, you know, the thing they actually really want.

4) Plants. This one is my particular favourite. Give the gift of oxygen, or even lifelong food (via fruit trees). Gifting a living plant means you're giving a gift for life. Fruit trees if your recipient has room, gives the gift of shade, joy of blossom and fruit in summer.

5) Have something repurposed. Rework it. Does your recipient have an old pair of jeans that they just adore but have seen better days? Probably best to get permission for this one, but take them to a tailor/ seamstress and see what they can do to spruce them up.

6) Ethically wrap it! Do you have old newspaper, brown paper or even fabric that can be re-used as wrapping paper? Spending (a lot) of money on paper that is sometimes not recyclable and literally just thrown in the bin is madness. Use the savings to invest more in the gift itself.

7) Make something. Can you spend your cold winter evenings crafting something that your brother, partner or Grandma would love? (Even more so that you spent time thinking of them, making something?)

8) Small, ethical shops. Buying something new is at the bottom of our gifting list. The best way to reduce environmental impact is to reduce our use of "virgin" produce. So buying non "stuff" gifts and second hand, repurposed or re-homed is priority.

But, there are some incredibly wonderful ethical gifts. Show your special someone that you love them and give them something thoughtful that they can adore but didn't harm the person making it, harm the environment to use, last for a long time or not be damaging once they eventually dispose of their gift.


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